
Questioning the Truth of the 21st Century
Questioning the Truth of the 21st Century (2017-2018) is a collection of projects that probes a perspective on the progression of the shifting boundary between simulated images and authentic records within the context of contemporary armed conflicts.
The collection not only scrutinises the implications of this blurred boundary but also takes a witty and critical stance towards the early instances of fabricated evidence in the digital age, shedding light on the lack of sophistication that characterised attempts to justify military interventions such as the second American military intervention in Iraq.
Inspired by Lebanese artist Walid Raad and his work with The Atlas Group, reconstructing memories from the civil war in Lebanon by blending fiction and reality, these projects prompt audiences to question how they connect presented evidence with actual facts.
These projects also look at the disturbing aesthetics of images captured by various technological means, such as thermal cameras of aircraft and combat drones, raising questions about their reliability and how they affect our perception of armed conflict, notably by creating a kind of distance from the real horror of war.
Overall, Questioning the Truth of the 21st Century prompts a critical examination of how we perceive and interpret visual evidence in the context of contemporary armed conflicts and the broader socio-political landscape and to also reflect on the intricate interplay between reality, representation, and memory in today's digital age.